Charlie Whitehurst: Seattle's QB of the Future or a Placeholder?

The Seahawks paid a premium, swapping second-round picks and giving up a third next year, to acquire Charlie Whitehurst. The moves that they made after that are somewhat puzzling.

They only gave Whitehurst a two-year contract, which seems a little short for a player for whom you gave up a third-round pick and moved down 20 spots.

That makes me question whether or not they think that he is the QB of the future or just part of Pete Carroll's plan to get his guy.

The assumption is that Matt Hasselbeck will be the starter for at least this year. If he leaves Seattle after this season, that will give Whitehurst one season to prove himself.

If he succeeds, then they will regret not giving him a longer contract, but if he fails then the Seahawks will be in position to draft Carroll's favorite QB, Matt Barkley.

Call me a conspiracy theorist, but the timing seems to fit for me.

Carroll knows that he will be given time in Seattle so he can take a gamble. Hasselbeck is on his way out so he can start building the rest of his team, and if Whitehurst fails he drafts Barkley.

Carroll has said that Barkley is the most talented QB that he has ever coached and that is an impressive group of QBs, including Carson Palmer.

It may just be a coincidence, but they only gave Whitehurst a $4 million-per-year contract, that could be up to $5 million with incentives, and that is backup money. Also, his contract ends the year Barkley is eligible to enter the draft.

Maybe Carroll considers giving up a couple picks worth the price to buy him time to get the guy he wants. When and if he drafts a QB will give us even more insight.